Man tells magistrates: I need £2k of weed to relax

A man who was caught in possession of £2,000 worth of cannabis - which he told magistrates he needed for relaxation - has avoided jail.

Mohammed Rezaie was handed a suspended sentence by Wigan magistrates after he had left the drugs to dry out in a friend’s house.

The 26-year-old, of Hurst Street, Leigh, was arrested on June 27 when police searched the property.

The cannabis was estimated to have a value of £1,800.

Prosecutor Alan Bakker said: “Police attended an address following inquiries. The defendant had use of the address but was not the occupant.

“The occupants themselves were arrested but no further action has been taken against them. The defendant made a full and frank admission from the start, stating he had placed cannabis in the loft when the house was empty.

“He says it was for personal use for help with headaches. He says he did not cultivate the cannabis but had purchased it and left it to dry out.”

Rezaie represented himself in court and told magistrates he had needed the drugs for relaxation. However, he added that he realised that what he did was wrong.

“I’ve never been a troubled person in my life,” said Rezaie. “I’ve been working hard and I have one daughter. I’ve been under so much pressure and when I have no parents here. I was also nearly killed in Moss Side. I need help relaxing. I realised from that day when police officers arrested me that this is bad. I’m a hard-working person and father. I’m not a drug dealer or a killer.”

JPs handed Rezaie a 12-week suspended jail sentence and 200 hours community and the destruction of the cannabis.